Peterborough unites for milestone fifth Durga Puja Festival
The Bengali Sanskriti Club Peterborough’s fifth annual Durga Puja celebration opened on Friday, 16 October 2026, with a memorable inauguration attended by the Mayor of Peterborough, Councillor Chris Harper, Mayoress Rita Harper, Peterborough MP Andrew Pakes, and Deputy Lieutenant of Cambridgeshire Jonathan Jelley.
Held at the Peterborough Cultural Centre in Rivergate, the opening ceremony brought together distinguished guests, community members, and visitors to mark five years of celebrating Bengali heritage, faith, and culture in Peterborough.
A highlight of the evening was the ceremonial lighting of the fire, jointly performed by the civic leaders, officially marking the beginning of the festivities. The inauguration was followed by vibrant cultural performances, concluding with a community feast that allowed guests to connect and experience the hospitality of the organisers.
Praising the city's strong community bonds, the Mayor of Peterborough, Councillor Chris Harper, said:
"Peterborough has always been known as a city of culture and diversity, and we are very proud of our history of community cohesion, tolerance, peace, and harmony among these diverse communities."
Reflecting on the achievement of bringing the festival to life this year, Anna Ghosh, festival organiser, added: "I'm pleased that we made it this year despite all of the challenges. I'm really proud of our community, all of the volunteers who came forward and selflessly worked to make this possible. Huge thank you to the wider community and my colleagues for always supporting us and being part of our celebrations. I also want to thank Dorota from Peterborough Together Project for being our photography and publicity partner. This is an open festival where everybody is allowed to visit and experience our culture."
Reaching its fifth year is a significant milestone for the Bengali Sanskriti Club Peterborough. Durga Puja, one of the most important festivals in the Bengali calendar, symbolises the triumph of good over evil. Beyond its religious significance, the festival provides an opportunity to preserve cultural traditions and bring people from different backgrounds together through shared experiences.
The presence and participation of local civic leaders made the opening ceremony particularly special for the club, highlighting the strength of regional community support.
The three-day celebration continued on Saturday with Saptami Puja in the morning, a community lunch, followed by Ashtami Puja and Sandhi Puja in the evening alongside further cultural performances.
On Sunday the programme included Navami Puja, Dashami Puja, and the traditional Sindur Khela, followed by an evening Bijoya cultural programme and dinner.